


quintessential spideychelle

by daisylincs



Category: Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Awesome Michelle Jones, Characters Watching Lucifer, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Idiots in Love, Lucifer season 5 spoilers, Ned Leeds is a Good Bro, Pining, Precious Peter Parker, Roommates to lovers, and they were ROOMMATES, even when he's not there, lucifer references, oh my god they were roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:48:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27366070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daisylincs/pseuds/daisylincs
Summary: "I said, are you watching Lucifer?" he repeated before he could lose his nerve.MJ's piercing expression softened immediately, her eyes taking on a whole new kind of interest. "You know Lucifer?" she asked, surprise colouring her voice.Peter was so affronted that he completely forgot to be nervous. "Uh,yeah,"he said, like it was obvious. "It's only my favourite show in the entire world."MJ's lips quirked in a rare, genuine smile, and her eyes were sparkling as she looked up at him. "Mine too.”Or: for the longest time, Peter has had a hopeless crush on his roommate MJ - then one day, they bond over the unlikeliest thing.
Relationships: Michelle Jones/Peter Parker
Comments: 18
Kudos: 45





	quintessential spideychelle

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Eowima](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eowima/gifts).



> Dearest Océane, 
> 
> Happy _birthday_ , my wonderful friend!!! 🎉💖😍🤩😘❤️🎉 It’s officially welcome to the twenty-six club. And it feels _no_ different than yesterday, right? But simultaneously, it also _does._ Arghhh, it’s such a mess - but it’s also kind of the best feeling ever.
> 
> To go on from that _best feeling ever_ idea: let’s rewind the clock till howevermany months ago and get really sentimental about the day we first met. Ahhhh, you won’t _believe_ how well I can still remember it - because it was deep lockdown, and it was 2am, and I was reading Pepperony fanfiction (this was before I started watching SHIELD, lol) and then somehow I accidentally tapped the “Peter/MJ” tag with my thumb in the dark. It’s surprisingly easy to do that, and pretty darn frustrating - and I was just about ready to click back out of the page and back to my Pepperony, when I just _happened_ to read the summary of the top fic in the tag. By sheer coincidence, that was yours - 67% sure.
> 
> References like that have always delighted me, and I liked the sound of the summary, so I clicked on it and started reading. And… I didn’t sleep much that night, but my _gosh,_ it was so worth it!! That fic - _you -_ is what got me hooked on Spideychelle. (So it’s only fair that I got to return the favour with AoS ahhhhh) 
> 
> Anyway, point is: since that first day and first 2am gush, our friendship has grown and improved a _thousandfold._ You’re just the kindest, loveliest person, and _so_ incredibly easy to talk to - it’s utterly amazing, and I feel _so_ lucky that I made that 2am choice to click through and read 67% sure. 
> 
> So, ma meilleure amie, I really, really hope you like what I came up with for you today - Peter and MJ as roommates, complete with references to another thing we both enjoy ;) Yes, gushing over shows is the absolute _best,_ it really is. 
> 
> Alors, Océane - joyeux anniversaire! Je te souhaite plein de bonheur en cette journée spéciale. Je t’aime tellement!! 💜💜💜

There were many things that made someone a good roommate. Doing the dishes, for example. Being a good communicator. Sharing food. Paying the rent on time. _Never falling in love with your roommate._

Peter Parker was officially a terrible roommate. 

He _sucked_ at doing the dishes, and not just because he hated it. He'd get jittery halfway through, his extra-sharp senses picking up each _splash_ and _scrape_ and _clatter_ uncomfortably well, until he couldn't really focus properly on what he was doing anymore and kept leaving spots still dirty. 

MJ never outwardly snapped at him, but he could see the flash of irritation in her gaze whenever she redid the dishes, and it made him _cringe_ every time. 

Which, of course, didn't do much for his communication skills. Peter had always been awkward, that was basically a fact of life. But then MJ had to go be so _smart,_ and _witty,_ and _terrifying,_ and _absolutely beautiful --_ he didn't even know how to say her _name_ without blushing and stammering like crazy. It was _ridiculous._

And, okay, he always paid his rent on time, so that was a plus. But the rest of it? Yeah, he _sucked._ He couldn't even share food, like a normal human being! 

It wasn't that he didn't _want_ to share - there was just literally nothing _to_ share. He always ate so much and so fast that by the time it occurred to him to leave something for MJ, all the food was gone. _Cringe._

And then the last point. Oh, God, the last point! 

If it hadn't been for MJ, Peter thought, he would have been okay. Falling in love had never been part of the plan in the _slightest,_ after all - it was complicated enough to balance being Spider-Man and getting a degree already without throwing _dating_ into the mix. 

But MJ… MJ was just, _wow._ Everything about her - from the way she smiled wryly, with just the corner of her lip tugging up, to the line of tiny freckles across the bridge of her nose that you could only see when the light hit her just right, to the way she wrinkled her nose when she was concentrating, to the way her eyes lit up and shone with passion when she talked about her laws and bail rights. 

MJ was _wickedly_ smart - and sometimes literally. Her wit was sharper than anyone's he'd ever heard before, and she _never_ failed to have a quippy, stunningly sarcastic comeback at the ready. 

She was also studying law, and you could see it in the way she moved - all purpose and confidence; _don't you dare mess with me._

It was inspiring and terrifying all at the same time, and more than once, Peter had found himself watching her, just watching her, with sheer amazement. 

"Just _talk_ to her, for heaven's sake," Ned had told him several times on these occasions, rolling his eyes amusedly. "She's really cool, but she's just a person, too. I bet there's something that scares her to bits - and a TV show she goes crazy over, too. Yes, _really,_ Peter. But the only way you're ever going to find any of that out is if you _talk_ to her."

But he couldn't _possibly_ \- where would he even begin? MJ was just so _amazing._

And, yes, he was perfectly aware he had it bad. But what was he supposed to do about that? 

His inner Ned was going crazy right about at that point, but Peter shoved him down firmly as he scrabbled in his backpack for his keys, breathing out a little sigh of relief as he found them wedged underneath his webshooters. God, it would have been so embarrassing to have to explain _that_ oneto MJ - "hey, yeah, so I was swinging around the precinct, totally not because I'm Spider-Man, and I just happened to drop my keys please let me in?" 

Yeah, no.

Completely absorbed in his cringeworthy thoughts, Peter didn't pay much attention to the apartment and its sounds as he went about the usual business of shoving their stupid, broken lock back into place - until, that is, he heard a muffled shout from MJ's room.

He froze where he stood, his blood turning to ice as a thousand disastrous situations ran through his head. The stupid lock… what if it hadn't actually locked and someone had managed to get in? What if they were with MJ right now, and they had caught her by surprise? 

_Crabsticks._

Flinging off his backpack, he took off for MJ's room at a dead run, throwing open the door as soon as he got there - 

\- only to find MJ, completely hale and hearty, perched on her bed with her laptop on her knees and headphones over her ears. Completely absorbed in whatever she was watching, she hadn't even noticed the door open yet. 

_"Dammit,"_ she snapped at her screen, jabbing at it with a finger and glaring ferociously. "I _hate_ you, Michael!" 

But before Peter could even finish processing what she meant - _I hate you, Michael? -_ she was clapping her hands over her mouth, her eyes going wide with delighted surprise. _"Hell_ yeah, Chloe," she said, actually pumping her fist. "I love you!" 

Peter's jaw dropped. Michael? _Chloe?_

Could that mean… no, come on, that _had_ to mean… 

"Are you watching Lucifer?" he blurted before he had time to think better of it. 

MJ glanced up sharply at the sound of his voice, hitting pause on her laptop and shifting her headphones off her ears. "Excuse me?" she asked, voice cool. 

Peter gulped, but, well… in for a penny, in for a pound. And besides, if she really was watching _Lucifer…_

"I said, are you watching Lucifer?" he repeated before he could lose his nerve. 

MJ's piercing expression softened immediately, her eyes taking on a whole new kind of interest. "You know Lucifer?" she asked, surprise colouring her voice. 

Peter was so affronted that he completely forgot to be nervous. "Uh, _yeah,"_ he said, like it was obvious. "It's only my favourite show in the entire world." 

MJ's lips quirked in a rare, genuine smile, and her eyes were sparkling as she looked up at him. "Mine too," she admitted. 

Peter gaped down at her. "Really?" 

_"Yes,"_ she said emphatically. "I mean, have you _seen_ Tom Ellis?" 

He barked a laugh, surprised - but, well, that was definitely on point. "God, you're _telling_ me," he said, flopping down on the bed next to her. "It shouldn't be _legal_ for anyone to be that sexy." 

MJ chuckled, throaty and warm, and right then, he thought it was the most beautiful sound in the world. "Agreed," she said, her eyes sparkling with that glow that Ned so aptly called _excellent-show-delight._

_Ned had been right._ Oh, my God, Ned had been right! 

_Well, of course he had,_ said the logical part of Peter's brain with a touch of wry amusement. _Never, ever underestimate the Ned tingle._

But the other part of his brain, the much, _much_ bigger part, was jumping up and down screaming _Lucifer! Lucifer! Lucifer!_

And, yes, he was perfectly aware that that was a reference - he was _that_ obsessed. But hey - could you even blame him?

Stretching forward, he tapped the Netflix pop-up on MJ's paused screen. "Season 5, Episode 2?" he asked inquiringly. 

MJ absent-mindedly brushed a curl of hair behind her ear, shrugging her shoulders wryly. "Yeah, I'm trying to catch up," she explained. "My workload has just been _like that_ these last few weeks." 

Peter winced in sympathy. "Oh, I hate weeks like that," he said, and MJ hummed in agreement. "But, hey, at least you have a _seriously_ good season to look forward to!" 

MJ turned to him immediately, her eyes bright. "It's good?" she asked. 

_"Hell yeah,"_ Peter said emphatically. "I think it's my favourite season so far, and it's only half-way out!" 

She nodded, impressed _. "God_ , I'm glad to hear that." 

Peter had to bite his lip to keep from grinning at her unintentionally _perfect_ use of emphasis. _No spoilers,_ he reminded himself sternly. 

Still, it was very hard to keep a straight face - especially when MJ turned to him, cupping her chin in her hands. 

"Can you tell me when Lucifer comes back?" she asked, widening her eyes imploringly. "Chloe just shot Michael, and I'm so freaking happy, but I _need_ my babies back together." 

"I can't tell you that!" he exclaimed, though a big part of him really, _really_ wanted to - wanted to stay right here and tell her _all about it,_ run over every tiny detail of this _freaking_ amazing half-season. 

MJ scowled at him, kicking his leg with the toe of her boot. "Asshole." 

"No, I'm being _nice,"_ he protested, holding up his hands. "Spoilers are the _worst!_ And, trust me, you do _not_ want to spoil this season for yourself." 

MJ scowled at him for a second longer, then relented, leaning forward to plug out her headphones. 

"Uh… what are you doing?" Peter asked, confused. 

She turned to him with one eyebrow quirked. "I'm plugging out my headphones, dork," she said. "What does it _look_ like I'm doing?" 

Peter felt his face warm. "Right, right," he said, trying to ignore the definite flush on his cheeks. "I meant… why?" 

She raised both eyebrows this time, as though he was being deliberately obtuse. "You like Lucifer, right?" she said slowly. 

"Yeah?" he said, still not following. 

"And you like season 5?"

He half-threw up his hands on an exasperated gesture. "I just told you I did, MJ, _what?"_

"God, you're such a dork," she said, and there it was, Peter had to bite back a snicker again. 

"Uh-huh," he said, completely straight-faced. 

She rolled her eyes again, but it was almost fond, he thought. "If you like the show and the season so much, and I'm watching it right now, wouldn't you like to watch along?" 

_"Oh,"_ Peter breathed, feeling simultaneously incredibly dumb and incredibly touched. He took a quick breath, then smiled at her, more openly and sincerely than he ever had before, and for once without any traces of nervousness. "Yeah, I'd like that. I'd really like that." 

She smiled back, the corners of her eyes crinkling with smile lines. "Great." 

//

MJ, as Peter soon found out, was an _amazing_ watch-partner. She laughed at all the right moments, gasped at all the others, and - and this never failed to amuse him - yelled very creatively at her screen when someone got in the way of "her babies" being happy. ( _"Her babies,"_ by the way, could refer to Ella, Chloe, Lucifer, Linda, Maze, Amenadiel, and even _Dan.)_

And, sure, they only had the time to watch one episode before MJ had to go back to writing her paper - but they scheduled the next episode, and God if Peter hadn't laughed more in those forty-odd minutes than he had in weeks. 

He felt unimaginably lighter as he walked out of MJ's room that day, like he was floating with every step instead of walking. The thing about excellent-show-delight, as Ned had once said, was that it just got _so_ much better when you could share it with someone. 

And when that someone was MJ, _well._ Needless to say, this entire thing had made his day.

And it had also made his relationship with MJ _so_ much better. Not… that they were in a relationship, or anything!! Not like that; _God._ He had just meant their friendship. 

Because the thing was, he could _talk_ to MJ now. 

Yeah, he still thought she was the most amazing person he had ever met, and she still equal parts terrified and inspired him. But they had something in _common_ now, something they shared - and whenever he thought of her now, he'd think of the way her eyes had shone as she watched Ella and Lucifer hug and laugh, or whatever. 

It gave them something that they shared, and shared well - and just like that, it was like all the awkwardness had disappeared. He could look up and see her washing the dishes, and instead of cringing away, he could offer her a little wave and a half-salute. And she'd roll her eyes, affectionately flipping him off over her shoulder, but she'd be grinning the whole time. 

Because they were friends now. Properly. 

And it was the _best._

//

Of course, Peter's little crush didn't go away, much as he wished it would. Because if having a crush on MJ had been bad before, it was even _worse_ now - worse; and better. 

Worse because he was spending _so much more_ time with her, and seeing first-hand all over again how amazing she was - and actually getting to spend _time_ with her amazingness. Instead of just watching from the corner of the room with hopelessly dreamy eyes as she talked to Betty, he could be the person she talked _to,_ the reason her eyes lit up like that. 

And it brought them so much closer - literally. While they were watching the latest episode, MJ's arm would brush Peter's, and he'd tense - but she didn't seem to notice, or if she did, she didn't mind. Sometimes she'd rest her head comfortably on his shoulder, or kick him playfully under the covers when he made a dumb joke. Or sometimes it wouldn't even be during an episode at all - she'd just casually brush against his shoulder as she walked past, or tap his shoulder lightly while he was working with his headphones on to let him know she was back. 

So many little _touches_ \- and he didn't know what to do with them. Were they accidental? Were they just meant as casual contact between friends? Or… or might it mean something more? 

But then what if he was reading into things, and there was nothing there? What if he was fooling himself? 

But, come on, how much _could_ you imagine? And how many times could her shoulder brush his, _accidentally?_

Like now, for example - they were just-just nearing the end of _BlueBallz,_ and _that_ scene, and he could _swear_ MJ had brushed against his shoulder six times by now. And, okay, maybe she was just excited because, come on, Deckerstar was her OTP… but what if it was more than that? 

It couldn't be, right? He had to be imagining - 

On the screen, the elevator door slid open, and there was Chloe. MJ gasped and grabbed his hand, gripping it tightly as Lucifer's breathless _"Detective"_ played. 

Peter, for his part, had frozen completely. His _hand?_ She had taken… his hand? 

There was no _way_ that could be accidental, no _way._ It just couldn't be! 

Besides, she was _gripping_ his hand, actually gripping it, as the scene played on, Lucifer and Chloe _just-just_ not acting on the crackling chemistry yet. 

And then they _did,_ finally, and MJ's death grip on his hand strengthened. 

Peter had _no idea_ what he was supposed to think. Sure, this was an _incredible_ (ha, ha) scene, but did it really warrant a reaction like _that?_ And why had she gone for his _hand?_ Why wasn't she pulling away yet? 

"Sorry," MJ murmured as though she was reading his mind, her cheeks tinged with the faintest flush of pink. "It's just a really intense scene and I've been waiting for this for _so long,_ you know?" 

"Yeah," he said, and, gathering all his courage, he gave her hand a little squeeze. 

MJ's breathing stuttered… but that could just as well be because of the incredible poignancy of the moment when Chloe tipped her head back and clasped Lucifer's hand. It was so beautiful that _Peter_ almost forgot what he was stressing himself out over in the first place. 

_Almost._

MJ's hand was still in his, though, and he could _never_ forget that feeling. 

He felt like he was floating in a strange space between breathlessness and giddiness, and his whole hand was tingling. MJ's touch there just felt _so good._ So _right._ Like everything he had ever dreamed of, and more. 

Not wanting to break the moment, Peter stayed completely still. Sure, he didn't know exactly what was going on - but right at that moment, he resolved to just let it be and _enjoy_ it. No thinking and no overcomplications - just letting things happen exactly as they did. 

They reached the end of the episode, and the intro of the next immediately started playing - Lucifer and Chloe in bed the morning after. Peter could feel MJ's arm tense through their clasped hands, but it was a happy kind of tension, he thought. A "freaking finally, it _finally_ happened!" kind of tension. 

On screen, Chloe tipped her head back and laughed, looking so free and so much _happier_ than she had in very many episodes. Untangling her hand from Peter's, MJ leaned forward to pause the episode. 

Peter immediately felt a pang of loss where her hand used to be, but then he noticed MJ, who was beaming at the screen like she might burst of happiness, surreptitiously flick away a tear. 

He could feel himself grinning, feel it spreading from ear to ear. "Whoa, whoa, whoa," he said, bumping his shoulder against hers and grinning in an entirely shit-eating way. "Are you… crying?" 

She whipped around to glare ferociously at him. "Don't you _dare…"_ Then, in a rush, "okay, fine, maybe I am, a little. It's just… I've been waiting for this moment for _five seasons,_ you know?" She paused, and she really did look like she might cry. "And it's just so _beautiful."_

"Awwww," Peter said, giving her his best puppy eyes. Then, feeling uncommonly bold - it was the Deckerstar, he could swear - he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. "You are _so_ crying, it's adorable!" 

She scowled fiercely up at him, but the effect was quite ruined by how much she was grinning, and the slight dampness still in her eyes. 

He nudged her shoulder again, and she groaned and buried her head in his chest. "Shut _up."_

"I didn't even say anything!" he protested. 

She raised her head from his shoulder, scowling entirely adorably up at him. "You didn't need to." 

Almost without thinking about it, Peter reached out a thumb to flick a tear off her cheek, lingering for just a second on her soft skin.

Her breath caught. 

"Don't I?" he asked softly, and he didn't know what had changed so suddenly, but it seemed like _everything_ had. 

Doubt… what was doubt? MJ was so _close_ , and her lips were slightly parted, and her eyes were fixed on his like he held the secrets to the universe and Deckerstar in them. 

She swallowed, her gaze never leaving his face as she licked her lips. "Don't you what?" 

"Don't I need to say anything?" he asked, even softer, and, emboldened by the way her eyes were still fixed on him, electric. Hesitantly, he reached out and ran his fingers lightly along the curve of her cheek again, letting his touch linger and treasure. 

Her breathing was soft and ragged, and with his enhanced senses, he could hear the hammering of her heart. "You tell me, Peter," she said, glancing quickly down at his lips and then back up at his eyes, slowly and deliberately. 

He kissed her. 

Her skin was incredibly soft beneath his palms, and her hair felt like liquid silk when he ran his fingers through it. She moaned softly, carding her fingers through his hair in turn, and all he could think was _sweet, everfreezing hell._

How had he waited so long to do this? _How?_

Because this… this was as close to perfect as he had ever felt. This was an OTP moment to _die_ for - this was a shipper's _dream!_

This was the _best,_ and honestly, if this was all he would be doing for the rest of his life, he would be very cool with that. 

But little things like breathing also took precedence, and eventually they had to break apart, gasping for air. 

"I, uh," MJ said, for once completely and utterly lost for words. 

"Do you have _any_ idea how long I've been wanting to do that?" he asked, leaning forward to press her forehead against his. 

She reached up to brush her fingers against his cheek. "I might have some idea, yeah." 

When he blinked down at her, surprised, she rolled her eyes. "Come on, Parker, you're not exactly _subtle._ And I, um," she bit her lip, "I may have been feeling the same things." 

Peter nearly toppled off the bed. "Seriously?!" 

She rolled her eyes again, even more expansively this time. "Oh my God, Peter," she said, sounding some parts amused and some parts exasperated. "I've been dropping hints for _weeks."_

"I knew it!" he almost shouted, pumping his fist. "I mean, I didn't _know_ it, but I knew, you know?" 

"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about, dork," MJ said, rolling her eyes for a third time - but, he thought, there was only affection behind it. 

Still shaking her head, she leaned forward to kiss him again, and he could _feel_ her smile against his lips. He was pretty sure she could feel his, too - because, really, he still couldn't believe this. 

"We're such a pair of idiots," he informed her when he pulled away, cupping her cheeks in his hands. 

Her eyebrows shot up. _"You're_ an idiot," she said _. "I'm_ the one who's almost finished my degree." 

"Ooh, points to MJ," he said, leaning forward to steal a quick kiss - the third one in as many minutes, not that he was _counting,_ or anything.

When he pulled away, he was smirking, feeling incredibly proud of himself for the comeback he had just thought of. "You might be the one who's nearly done with your degree… but _I'm_ the one who's done with Lucifer." 

Her eyes widened. "Oh my _God,"_ she breathed. "Okay, I'll give you that one, that was brilliant." 

_"Thank_ you," he said, sweeping a curl of hair out of her face and grinning down at her. 

Her eyes crinkled with smile lines as she grinned back, small but genuine. "Let's just agree that while we're both idiots in some ways, we're also -" she paused to wiggle her eyebrows - _"incredible."_

He chuckled softly, wholly delighted with the reference and its meaning. Because she was right, wasn't she? They were far from perfect (he was still such a terrible roommate, _God),_ and they were _certainly_ no Deckerstar - but still, they really were incredible. 

_**The End.** _


End file.
